The Governor of Sokoto State, Ahmad Aliyu, has announced the recruitment and deployment of more than 1,500 nurses and midwives to underserved communities in a bid to improve healthcare delivery, particularly in rural areas.
Aliyu made the disclosure during the 8th Sokoto State Council on Health, where he also unveiled a new policy mandating a two-year rural posting for health workers.
According to the governor, the initiative is part of his administration’s strategy to ensure that qualified medical personnel are fairly distributed across the state.
“We introduced a two-year mandatory rural service policy to guarantee that healthcare workers are equitably deployed, especially to rural and hard-to-reach communities,” he said.
“So far, over 1,500 nurses and midwives have been recruited and deployed, with incentives provided to encourage rural service.”
He noted that the move is aimed at tackling the persistent shortage of skilled health workers outside urban centres, a challenge that has continued to limit access to quality healthcare.
Aliyu further revealed plans to recruit an additional 2,400 community health workers in partnership with national health agencies to reinforce primary healthcare services.
“This initiative is already making a difference in service delivery at the grassroots,” he added.
“We recognise the gaps in our health indicators, and strengthening human resources remains key to addressing maternal and child health challenges.”
As part of efforts to improve healthcare outcomes, the state government has also partnered with Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital to provide specialist support and mentorship to health facilities across the state.
The governor said newly recruited health workers are being supported with incentives, including a 10 per cent rural allowance, to boost morale and retention.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Faruk Abubakar, stressed the importance of workforce development in achieving universal health coverage.
“Strengthening human resources for health is a top priority. We must ensure that the workforce is not only sufficient but also fairly distributed to meet the needs of our people,” he said.
Development partners have welcomed the initiative. A representative of the United Nations Population Fund, Yusuf Alayande, described the rural posting policy as a significant step toward improving access to skilled healthcare services in remote areas.
“This policy is a major stride in expanding access to quality healthcare for people living in hard-to-reach communities,” he noted.
